When women go mental about Christmas

Well, all you women out there, it is that time of year when women go mental about Christmas.

Some of us decorate early to extend the Christmas season. Some of us need to get in the “Christmas spirit” before decorating.

I used to be one of those who was totally overboard about Christmas. I thought I needed to make the season magical for my kids so I decorated every spare inch of the house. I probably drove my kids and husband nuts. I let the kids help with decorating the tree and then after they went to bed, redecorated the tree.

I baked like a mad woman, and spent hours wrapping gifts so they looked like a professional did it. I had boxes and boxes of wrapping paper and ribbon, and still bought more if I saw something I liked. I had so many ornaments for the tree that it took days to decorate.

Now that I am older and my kids have grown, I am very haphazard about Christmas. My tree goes up when I am in the mood – which seems to be later and later each year. I put a few ornaments on to be festive and leave the majority of them in their boxes.

I guess if I ever have grand kids come for Christmas I might revert, but since I live in Canada now that seems unlikely for the foreseeable future. And my presents now look like a three-year-old wrapped them. I just can’t be bothered to spend tons of time only to have all my hard work disappear in three seconds.

Last year my Mom came so I decorated some, but had she not come, I doubt I would have put up a tree.

I actually enjoy the Christmas season more now as I am not at all concerned about making everything perfect.

So a word to the wise to those Christmas obsessed women: It’s not about decorations or wrapping a present perfectly or even about making sure you get those hard to find toys that everyone thinks their kids should have. Christmas is about family and friends. It’s about just being together and enjoying each other’s company. The rest….well it’s nice, but not really what you look back and remember.